


My Sister's Keeper

by Adirah



Category: Original Work
Genre: Original Story - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-02
Updated: 2017-02-02
Packaged: 2018-09-21 15:53:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9555983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adirah/pseuds/Adirah
Summary: Twins, Natalie and Nathaniel, live in an orphanage. Natalie has always been prone to violent outbursts and the other children regularly pick on her. Her brother is the only one who has ever been able to calm her.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this story for a creative writing class about a year back. I tried to model Natalie's outbursts after Intermittent Explosive Disorder, though, as I am no expert, there could be parts where it doesn't represent IED very accurately. If you see such an occurrence, please let me know and I will try my best to fix it up. If you have any questions or comments please let me know at the bottom of the page.

            A deafening screech echoed through the abandoned halls of Robichaux’s Morning Star Orphanage, followed by more shouting and screaming. Nathaniel glanced out the third-story window from his bed to see a couple of girls fighting in the courtyard. Normally, he wouldn’t have cared who was clawing at each other’s eyes, but when he saw who was involved, he dropped his book, _Matilda_ , and hustled down three flights of stairs.

            Just as he came through the great courtyard doors, a young girl, the same age as himself, lunged forward, grabbing the honey colored hair of the woman in front of her. The woman had been consoling another child who had fallen victim to this rampaging child, and shrieked as she was jerked backwards. Nathaniel took off, cutting the distance between himself and the girl as quickly as his thin legs would carry him, and drew her into his arms once he reached her. The girl thrashed about, trying to free herself from Nathaniel’s grip, even causing them to fall to the ground, but it was no use. As soon as she saw his face, she became still. “Nathaniel,” she whispered, her voice thick with remorse. Nathaniel remained silent as he held tight to her, continuing to pacify her.

            Children were ushered quickly into the bleak building and to their shared rooms, some still crying and afraid of the girl who had caused so much trouble. Nathaniel and the girl remained on the cold concrete, the decrepit brick walls looming over them on three sides. The woman who had been dragged by her hair, Ms. Robichaux, came towards the two. “Natalie! What have I told you about fighting?!” Natalie glanced at her, then away, refusing to make eye contact as she spit out the words, “Fighting is bad. Fighting gets people hurt and gets me in trouble. B-but Ms. Robichaux! I didn’t start it! It was Heather! She said tha-”

            “Enough! I am finished with your excuses! You will go find an empty room and stay there until dinner,” she spoke sternly, but not hatefully. “Yes Ms. Robichaux,” Natalie muttered, pushing herself to her feet and trudging inside. Nathaniel looked at the woman, whose features had softened greatly. “I’ll go with her,” he said, not waiting for permission. Ms. Robichaux waved him off. If anyone could handle Natalie, it was her brother. That boy had matured more than should be required at such a young age.

            Nathaniel found the girl hidden in an empty classroom on the first floor. The desks and chairs were toppled over and caked with dust. She was staring out the window at the other children who were allowed back out to play in the sun.  “Why do you keep fighting with people?” he questioned, as he sat in front of her. “I don’t mean to. I don’t want to fight. But they’re always making fun of us. They’re always saying I should be caged up and you should put me in a circus. It’s just not fair.” Natalie seemed to sincerely regret attacking the girl. “Well, what happened that made you mad at Heather?” She looked up, feeling a bit betrayed. “It wasn’t my fault!” she shouted, jumping to her feet. Nathaniel shook his head and waved her down. “I never said it was your fault. I just wanted to know what happened,” he explained, keeping his tranquil demeanor.

            Natalie felt a little embarrassed as she sat back down. In a quiet voice, she told him what happened, “I was just playing in the courtyard. Heather tripped me and that made me mad but I tried my best not to do anything bad. I counted down from ten just like Mr. Templeton said to do. Then she started laughing at me. She called me a freak, and it made me more mad. I tried not to say anything, really, but then she said we were both freaks. She said that when we got old and died that they would cut off our heads and put them in jars because that’s what happens to freaks.” Natalie was shaking as she told her story. Nathaniel came over and sat next to her. He hugged her softly and sighed, “Why did she say we were freaks?”

            “Because our eyes are different.”

            Both Nathaniel and Natalie’s eyes were two different colors. Nathaniel’s left eye and Natalie’s right eye were a soft seafoam green while the two other eyes were a misty blue. The two of them made an interesting pair of twins, especially when they were seven years old, and Natalie cut her hair the same way as Nathaniel. When they looked at each other, it was like seeing a living reflection of themselves. Ms. Robichaux had taught the two of them what it was called when there were two different colored eyes, but the other children thought heterochromia sounded too interesting to describe the little freak and her brother, so they still made fun of them.

            “What’s going to happen to us? What’s going to happen to me?” Natalie whispered fearfully, “That’s the fourth time this week and its only Tuesday. What if they decide that I’m not good enough to be adopted and they just throw me out? What if the police come and take me to jail for being a bad person?” Nathaniel shook his head and in an attempt to silence her worries he told her, “I would never let them take you to jail. You’re my little sister even if it’s only by two minutes. And we’ll get adopted. I promise you we will. But you have to keep talking to Mr. Templeton. He’ll help you find out how to not get mad at people.”

            A smile came to Natalie’s face. She liked Mr. Templeton. He came every Wednesday and Friday to play games with her and to help her manage her aggressive outbursts. He even gave her some medicine to help her but it didn’t seem to do much.

            “I’ll always look out for you,” Nathaniel swore. “Do you pinky promise?” Natalie held her pinky up. “I pinky promise.” Their little fingers hooked together and gigantic grins crossed each of their faces. “Come on, let’s go sneak some cake from the kitchen.” Nathaniel’s adventures always put Natalie in a good mood, so she accepted and snuck out with him.

            Getting into the old kitchen was a cinch. The doors were always locked but the lock was broken so all it took was jiggling the handle a bit before it would come open. Natalie giggled a little as they snuck in and her brother quietly shushed her. Dinner would be made soon so they had to get out before Cook came. In the fridge, there was a half-eaten sheet cake from last night’s dinner. They each grabbed a napkin before cutting the cake and putting their piece on it. “Come on, let’s get out of here. If they notice I’m not in a room, I’ll get in trouble!” Natalie waved him towards the door.

            On the way back to the room, they snuck past Ms. Robichaux’s office and Nathaniel heard a familiar voice from inside. “Natalie. Take my cake to the room. I’ll catch up.” She looked at him funny but he motioned for her to go on ahead, so she did.

            Once she was out of sight, Nathaniel peeked through the office door window. In the small office was Ms. Robichaux and across the infinitely cluttered desk from her was Mr. Templeton. “Mr. Templeton. I just don’t know what to do anymore. She has become increasingly more violent and the children here just aren’t safe around her. Yes, her brother can keep her subdued, but I can’t expect him to do so every hour of every day. For God’s sake, he’s ten! He isn’t his sister’s keeper.” The woman was drained. Mr. Templeton pulled a briefcase into his lap. “I haven’t been quite able to pinpoint what could be going on with her. It could be a number of issues that I haven’t had the time to diagnose. The only thing I can offer is this.” He pulled a folder from the beat up briefcase and handed it to Ms. Robichaux. She took it, her hands shaking as she read it.

            “A psychiatric ward? For a child? Are you sure this is the best option?” She seemed skeptical and honestly worried about Natalie. “Honestly, yes. She won’t be able to harm the children here. I will be able to see her more often, and when I’m not there, the nurses will be trained to take care of her during her outbursts. All you would need to do is sign.” Ms. Robichaux read over the papers a few times before signing. “Take care of her. Just get her better and bring her back to her brother. They have never been separated like this before.”

            Nathaniel was in shock. They were going to take his sister away? He had seen horror movies about mental hospitals. They were so scary. He didn’t want that to happen to his sister. As soon as he could force his trembling legs to move, he took off to find her.

            “Natalie! Natalie where are you?!” He burst into the room, gasping for breath and his sister looked at him, surprised. “What’s wrong?” Nathaniel came over and hugged her. “They want to send you away. To a mental hospital. Those places are always haunted!” Her eyes opened so wide they could have possibly popped out. “What? Why? Why would they want to take me away? Is it because I am bad?” Nathaniel shook his head. “You aren’t bad though!”

            They were interrupted when Ms. Robichaux opened the door. “Natalie? Can we talk for a moment?” She backed away. “I don’t want to go to a mental hospital! I don’t want to be around ghosts!” The woman was a bit surprised but regained her composure quickly. “Natalie. Mr. Templeton is going be able to help you better. He will be able to see you more and if you get better, then you can come back to be with your brother again. And then you two can be adopted.”

            Nathaniel stood between his sister and Ms. Robichaux. “No! I promised I would look after her! I promised her!” Ms. Robichaux knelt down by them. “It will be better. You could help her more by letting her go. Now Natalie, go pack your things. You leave tomorrow morning. I will bring you dinner.”

            Natalie was visibly afraid but she went to her room to pack her things. Nathaniel followed after to help her. “I’m sorry. I’m already breaking my promise.” He looked at his sister. Her raven hair typically made her look pale, but it was even more apparent now. “It’s okay,” she forced out with a smile, “I will be fine. I will get better and when I come back we’ll get adopted. Don’t get adopted without me.” Nathaniel was surprised but hugged her tightly. “I promise I won’t.”

            Once Natalie had finished packing she laid down in her bed without eating dinner. “I’m going to sleep now. You should sleep too.” Nathaniel didn’t want to leave her but he couldn’t sleep in that room. “Good night.” He left the room and returned to his room to go to bed. As he laid there, the other boys came in and climbed into their beds. They fell asleep almost instantly but he couldn’t seem to join them. A storm rolled in and lit up the room between each burst of thunder. Midnight. He was still awake. Two o’clock. Nathaniel still hadn’t fallen asleep. Five o’clock. That was the last time he saw before morning.

            He jolted straight up and hurried to the window. Outside, Natalie was being led to a car. Why hadn’t they woken him?! He threw on a coat and shoes before making his way down the stairs. He stepped out the great courtyard doors in time for his sister to see him and wave before they shut the car door. Nathaniel stood there, rain soaking his pajamas, as his sister was driven away. He couldn’t even say goodbye.


End file.
